I slammed my head against the keyboard. The whole 'writing thing' was really getting to me.
"This is trash!" I yelled, frustrated as I shielded my face from the world with my hands.
The librarian gave me a glare. "Excuse me, Mr. Elliot but people are reading."
"Excuse me, Mrs. Bru but I'm trying to write!" I shot back sternly.
There were about only 3 people in the library and they all turned their heads sharply, almost in unison.
They started whispering.
"Is he that high school dropout?"
"He seriously thinks he can be an author?"
"He's way too over his head."
I groaned and closed my laptop, 'Is there anyone in this city who DOES believe in me?'
The librarian approached me silently and handed me a book with a torn brown cover.
"Keep writing, Elliot. Don't listen to everyone else. I'm sure they've never wrote a book in their life." She encouraged softly at first, but said the last part loudly.
"Thanks." I murmured and stood up from the small red chair I was sitting in, and then quickly left.
Walking on the streets, I started to closely inspect the book I have been given. I ran my hand along the rough cover. It had no title, which I personally thought was strange. My hand was about to open it up when someone grabbed my wrist.
"Hey Elliot, whatcha readin'?" It was Alith.
The book jumped out of my hands onto the sidewalk. Alith reached down to grab it.
"Leave it, Alith." I commanded calmly.
His auburn eyes squinted at me as he slowly stood.
"Someone's overprotective." He mumbled, slightly rolling his eyes.
"There's something about the book that gives me an uneasy feeling. Like there's something living inside me waiting to crawls out." I spoke softly, looking down at the book, my short skinny legs visibly shaking.
"If you think it is living, kick it and see if it moves." Alith laughed and swayed his leg like he was actually going to kick it.
I hurriedly picked it up and hugged it to my chest. "Alith, what type of monster just kicks a book?" I asked him while glaring.
He thought about that for a moment while adjusting the newspaper boy hat that was resting on his short, ratty red hair. Which made the hat even more crooked than before. Which is truly saying something.
"Well I guess the monster would be your best friend... Yours Truly..."
Alith smirked and gave a little bow.
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever." There was silence before I continued. "Hey, shouldn't you be at school? Aren't you still 15 or something?" I questioned, trying to stall looking inside the book.
"Yeah, I'm a sophomore. It's Saturday today so we don't have school." Alith explained, shifting his weight, while trying not to look me in the eyes.
I knew why he was acting so odd. He knows of what I did. Everyone knows. I know that everyone knows. How could I not? Every street I have turned since then had always contained whispering and pointing. It wasn't long until I realized they were whispering at my choices and pointing at the coward I was.
"So, since you have a day off, would you like to get some lunch?" I asked, casually looking up at the clock tower.
My best friend looked me straight in the eyes and gave a devilish grin, "Heck yeah!"
YOU ARE READING
The Book
Science Fiction"I saw Elliot. I saw him come into this world, I saw him grow up, and I watched him enter the same time period as I. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I knew Elliot before he knew me... Even before he knew himself." ...
